Coast Guard: Good idea to keep your boat clear of Mar-a-Lago this weekend

If you’re planning to anchor your pleasure boat around Mar-a-Lago this weekend to try to get an offshore glimpse of the new president, the U.S. Coast Guard has a message: don’t.

With Donald Trump set to arrive this afternoon for his first weekend at his “winter White House” since being sworn in, the Coast Guard today announced its maritime exclusion zones, which went into effect at 6 a.m. and go through midnight Monday night. They include parts of the Intracoastal Waterway, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Southern Boulevard bridge.

“Entering, stopping, or anchoring in this security zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami or a designated representative,” an advisory said. It said penalties include civil fines of up to $88,000, criminal fines of up to $10,000, and up to a dozen years in prison.

For Zone 1 –the Intracoastal Waterway from the southern tip of the Everglades Island to about 1,000 yards from the south of the Southern Boulevard Bridge on the south and eastern shore line west of Fisherman Island — boats are banned without radio permission.

For Zone 2 – areas from the western shoreline to the western edge of Fisherman Island — boats can pass but can’t stop. Same rules for Zone 3 –the ocean from Banyan Road south to Ocean View Road .